Student Advisory Board Guest Post: My Journey to the University of Hull

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Student Advisory Board Guest Post: My Journey to the University of Hull

In her first ever post for Whatuni, Student Advisory Board member Aayisha, a second year Ecology and Environment student at the University of Hull, talks about how she got there.

by
Aayisha Ahmad

First Published:

29 Nov 2017

Since being old enough to know what university meant, I knew I had to go. I had dreams and aspirations to become a doctor, so university was the natural course for me.

Coasting through my GCSEs, achieving the grades expected, I never thought my A-levels would be any different, nor did my teachers. Surely a student who received 5 A* and 7 As in her GCSEs will achieve to the same degree or better when it came to her A-levels.

Choosing the ever cliché medical student subjects of maths, biology and chemistry, I chose politics as a ‘fun’ subject, which some may find ironic, but it was the one subject which came naturally to me and enjoyed the most.

Immediately, second lesson of chemistry in, an exam was issued with results less than promising. But I ignored the red flag. Come November, I knew medicine was no longer an option, but still, thought I could miraculously pull through and achieve the predicted A.

Results day came and ABBD were the results. I had failed chemistry, the most essential science needed to be a medical student and with it, my aspirations of wearing a stethoscope were dashed.

But my sixth form were still adamant for me to apply to university, and with the school’s internal deadline a week before the Oxbridge/ medicine and veterinary, time was of the essence.

How I Chose My Uni

Knowing medicine was no longer an option, and assuming my predicted grades were accurate/ universities would be lenient, I applied.

I searched for every university in the UK which offered a medicine course, then narrowed them down to those who didn’t look at your A-level results. From there, using websites such as Whatuni, and the Complete University Guide, I compiled a table with entry requirements for a science degree, the requirements for graduate medicine and future job prospects. This left a limited but neat list of universities to apply to, ensuring a lower entry requirement university was also included.

Results day came, and I’d missed my firm offer by two grades. So, a month later, I was packing my bags for my back-up option, the University of Hull (UoH). Being hesitant to even tell others where I was off too, I was upset at myself for not landing my firm offer.

However, now into my second year, I couldn’t be happier to be at Hull, it’s a great university. A seven-floor library, with hundreds of computers, laptops to borrow, a basement full of journals, an observatory and a rare books section, the library is by far the focal point for all campus tours.

The campus also has a wonderful union, a host of societies to choose from, a shop on campus and a new medical building. The transport system is brilliant, better than what I ever expected for a city I knew little to nothing about, with straight trains from Hull to London Kings Cross daily.

UoH has brilliant teaching at the right pace, giving you time to adjust to independent studying as well living away from home. Staff are passionate with overlapping interests, so can help you with the whole course, not just the specific modules they teach.

How to Find Your University

If you’re unsure where to go, or struggling to decide between a big city university or a smaller campus in one area, I would suggest: